"Check."
"In place."
"Present!"
"Congregate in formation D, plan D assembled, and fire!" Team four chorused. After Eiko, Midori, and Akako had stated their positions plan D fell into place. "Take this Lee-kun!" Akako cried out. Firing the eight kunai at the ground, they fell into a circle around Tenten and Neji. The two could only sit surprised as a tarp fell onto them and muffled their screams. "Tenten and Neji accounted for. Where's Lee?" Eiko asked. She looked around wildly but couldn't spot the bushy browed friend.
"You can't capture the green beast of Konoha!" The two girls heard Akako's scream and looked to see Lee knock her off her branch. Before she could fall victim to the forest floor, she through a kunai at the tree and managed to swing off the rope attached. Midori jumped down to where Neji and Tenten were, just as Tenten burst through a hole in the tarp. She held her kunai out in triumph. "Can't keep me locked down either." The three kunoichi giggled at their antics. The more mature one walked over to help Neji out, "We're sorry we surprised you Neji-kun." Midori said in her solemn voice, just by hearing it anyone could tell she wasn't hiding any kind of laughter.
Once Neji finished blushing he replied, "I knew it was coming." At this Midori smiled. "What I didn't see coming was my hard worked meal get ruined! Eiko!" Tenten whined.
"The food was rather burnt." Lee gasped when Neji said this, "That was very rude Neji. Gomen Tenten, I apologize for his rudeness. The food burned with the power of youth!" The girls laughed again. "I have extra food thanks to Midori warning me, since I ruined your meal let me make it up." At this Eiko took out the food and began to cook it. Once the rice and maitake mushrooms were done cooking everybody sat down to eat.
"Itadakimasu." They chorused. "Ah! Eiko-san, the food is delicious!"
"Thank you Lee-san. What do you think Akako-imouto?" Akako ignored her and continued to dump the food into her mouth piece by piece. She paused to wipe the soy sauce from her face. "So how's the forest of death for you?" She asked.
"It's only been a day and we haven't made much progress. Ne, what about you Akako-san? I'm sure your team has made plenty of progress." Tenten began putting out the fire and talked over her shoulder as she did so. Akako and Eiko worked to cover any tracks that they'd been there while the other two, older genin relaxed. "We've already gotten a scroll and managed to get rid of a few teams!" When all work was done she stretched.
"You must have gotten stronger then, Midori-san." Midori nodded to Neji's comment. "Of course. It's been a year hasn't it? We all have gotten rid of many weaknesses and gained much strength." The sun was setting over the trees and began to cast shadows all over. "When the shadow finishes stretching we'll be long gone…and hidden as well." The Hyuuga nodded knowingly, as if he understood what his friend had said. He had of course.
"Ja ne then." Eiko said, quickly as they had come, the trio departed into the leaves.
The familiar rush of adrenaline filled her. As Eiko jumped from branch to branch she began forming the jutsu. "White Arts: Chi Kashou!" She whispered under her breath. With the staff held out in front of her, she waited as her senses became more acute for the moment, and then died back down. Now she knew the jutsu had been activated for the sound of music filled her ears. The sweet melody Midori's blood played, and the fast paced tone of Akako's, were heard next to the three unknown ones.
Eiko had activated the second level of her bloodline.
Chi Kashou of the white arts played the songs only sung by the blood of humans. This jutsu could only ever be used by members of the Banpaia clan born directly, or someone inducted into the clan. Only one had ever been inducted.
Eiko smiled at the memory when he came into their lives. I miss him so-"Eiko, are you focusing?" Akako's voice snapped her out of the daze. "Gomen Akako-chan. Three, each tailing directly behind me in a lined formation. The scent is familiar but the song is different, one is so boring I could fall asleep. Ready? Activate plan C." The girls fell into the formation they had practiced for hours until it was perfect.
Quickly the group came up to them as they jumped from branch to branch at a slower pace. When Eiko signaled Midori, Akako and her turned around to get out of the way. Midori flipped around and brought out her fans. "Koori tou jutsu!" She said. The smaller fan slid through the air too fast for anyone to see what was going on. A minute later the groans of the three stalkers filled the air. Eiko and Akako jumped down to see who had been following them.
"Shikamaru! And Ino and Choiji!" Akako said, surprised. Eiko looked and sure of enough, recognized the three rookie genin Naruto had introduced earlier. "This was troublesome. I told you guys that we should've looked for a group that was weak." The two girls on the ground laughed while their teammate took her time getting down.
"It was only a group of rookies." Midori confirmed. Ino scowled at her, seemingly offended at being a 'rookie'. "For your information we've already gotten a scroll." Ino crossed her arms and smirked. "Interesting," Midori replied, "We've gotten ours as well and taken out a few teams. Right now we're on our way to the tower. Perhaps you'd like to join us?" The way Midori had said it made Ino scowl once more. "I thought we were going to get a scroll from them Ino." Choiji had to pause after he said this in order to pull out another bag of chips.
The night sky was beginning to give way to the sun. "It's the beginning of the second day. Your team should work harder, and as a kunoichi you should become stronger." Midori stated. Again, the blond ninja glared. Glancing to her left, Midori pulled up the falling strap to her black sack. "The sun is rising Eiko." She said in her soft voice. "Time to go then, we'll be seeing you later, ne, Ino-chan?" The three girls fled into the morning light, flitting through the branches.
"I believe…tower…ahead." Although Akako's sentence had been cut off by the wind occasionally, the bare message had gotten through to her teammates. Just like she had said, the bright red tower stood leaning up ahead. They began to up their pace until they had to be careful where they jumped.
"Onee-san, onee-san! Today I start going to the academy! Onee-" The little Eiko ran through the compound, sliding on the newly waxed, wooden floorboards. Just as she turned the corner, waving a letter in the air, she crashed into Ryoichi. Six year old Eiko shoved the letter into his face. "Ryoi-nee, today I get to go to the academy!"
He laughed at his little sister, picked her up, and swung her in the air. "First you have to eat breakfast and then Ryozo will walk you to the academy. Okay?" She giggled, "Hai."
"And when the teacher talks, pay attention. Got it?" Ryozo turned to his sister Eiko. Today would be the first day she starts going to the academy and the look on his face showed he was worried. Again Eiko nodded. "And then Ryo-nee, I'll grow up to be just like my brothers." Her face broke out into a grin. He smiled back and fixed the hat on her head, shading her face from the sun that would take her a while to get used to.
In the classroom Eiko stood looking around nervously. The teacher had yet to appear but tons of children stood around. Some stood in groups, but girls were with girls and boys with boys. "I'm going to win first Lee-san!" Someone hit Eiko and she cried out, "Oof!" Sitting up she rubbed her soar bottom and then forced the stray strands of her out of her face. "Gomen! Gomen! Gomen nasai!" A girl slightly shorter than Eiko stood in front of her apologizing. She held out a hand to her to help Eiko up. "It's okay. I'm Banpaia Eiko! What's your name?" The little girl decked out in red held out her hand, "Fujimoto Akako! Call me Akako-chan and I'll call you Eiko-chan!" The girls shook hands and laughed.
"This is Rock Lee, my friend!" The boy she must have been running with walked over, and saluted. "Ohayo Banpaia-san!" "Ohayo!" Eiko said back. "Children, settle down now." The voice of the teacher filled the room. Kids hurried to find a seat next to a friend. "Sit next to us, ne?" Akako asked her. Nodding in response she followed them into the closest row to them.
And then at lunch Akako introduced her sister to her new friend. A friendship was made.
"I am Nozomi. Today you are ninja, but only genin. The lowest of the low, and the ones at the very bottom. Tell me a few things about yourself!" The woman had long purple hair and fair skin without any blemishes. "Like what sensei?" Just the day before Eiko had gone out and bought an outfit, excited that she had finally graduated from the academy. Also, she decided to bring her staff with her even though she couldn't do much with it. "Tell me your name, what you like, hate, and your dream. Beginning with you." Nozomi pointed to Midori who sat next to her sister. "My name if Fujimoto Midori. I like my fans and younger sister. I dislike annoying fan girls and I want to become powerful to protect my sister!" (Note: The fans she is talking about are her fans that she battles with) She smiled and ruffled her sister's hair. Akako grinned, "Me? Okay well…hmm…oh yeah! My name is Fujimoto Akako. I like my older sister and generally everything! Especially Lee-san and Eiko-chan, they're my friends. I suppose I dislike …well nothing! And I want to become stronger and known for my weaponry skills even though I can't do many powerful ninjutsu!" She made a peace sign at the end. Nozomi pointed to Eiko.
Smiling softly she thought for a moment before speaking. "My name is Banpaia Eiko. I don't have many preferences but I do like my friends and family, especially my little sister Etsu. My dream is to find out more about my family's history and someday find out the reason for my parents' death."
"As genin still I will put you through rigorous tests for years until it's time for you to leave me. If you succeed I am positive your dreams will come true. Alright! Meet here again at 9 p.m. tomorrow for your first test!" Nozomi disappeared after her mini speech. Maybe my…no our, dreams will come true. Eiko looked to her friends, yes, I am certain they will come true.
This was the point to the chuunin exams. To them it wasn't just an ordinary exam, not just a plain old test. The chuunin exams would give them the right to pass on to complete their dreams. They wouldn't give up.
And as the tall red tower drew closer, Eiko thought to herself once again, soon they will come true.